Cinema

Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018

Gadfly 213 By Robert Macklin It’s an unforgettable image. As the Australian captain, Pat Cummins pounded in and launched one of his thunderbolts, the English tailender, Ollie Robinson stepped away, barely Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 attempting to intercept the pink ball that crashed into his stumps. Game over. The English team had waved the white flag of surrender. In less than two hours our fast bowlers sliced the opposition into bite-sized pieces. They’d done it, not with fearsome ‘bouncers’ to the head and heart but aimed with a laser-like precision at their weaknesses outside the off stump or defending the wickets with their willow wands. That final Test in Hobart put the seal on a 4-0 series to Australia, and here’s the best part – our team’s celebration was jubilant but brief. The next moment, they were shaking hands with their opponents in a spirit of genuine goodwill, even to the surly slugger, Ben Stokes to whom losing to Australia is like chopping off your foot with a machete. The goodwill reflected Pat Cummins’ captaincy. It was his first series as skipper but already he’s displayed a grace in leadership so sadly lacking in other areas of Australian endeavor. (Yes, that one). In one of those happy coincidences, the same day I’d been writing of a very different Ashes series. I was giving context to a period in the life of my new biography subject, the great naturalist, war hero, and Aboriginal advocate, Donald Thomson. He was ahead of his time but gave his life – which ended in 1970 - to the Aboriginal cause. The notorious ‘Bodyline’ series of 1932-33 took place just as he was preparing to set out on a peace-keeping mission in the Northern Territory for the Lyons Government. But such was the viciousness of that Ashes contest that he might well have used his mediation talents at the MCG rather that the wilds of East Arnhem Land. England’s captain, Douglas Jardine had devised the infamous ‘bodyline’ to counter Don Bradman’s batting genius by having his fast bowlers pitch the ball short, so it reared at the batsman’s unprotected head and shoulders. The issue became deadly serious when captain Bill Woodfull was felled by a ‘bouncer’ and ‘keeper Bert Oldfield suffered a fractured skull. The Australian Cricket Board sent furious public cables to their British counterparts, and they responded in kind. Prime Minister Lyons met with the Board and warned of ‘the severe economic hardships that could be caused if the British public boycotted Australian trade’. Gradually, the temperature lowered but the bodyline fracas, like the Great Depression’s economic convulsion, became public markers on Australia’s pathway from the colonial era. And now? Well, none of that colonial nonsense in the women’s game but within the Australian establishment there’s a curious clinging to the strings of our colonial past. The ABC, for example, swamps us with BBC cast-offs, and patronising Britishers who keep ‘doing’ Australia, from Tony ‘Baldrick’ Robinson, ‘Griff’ Rhys Jones, and a train traveller whose name escapes me. And last week when the Australian Republican Movement finally presented its new model, it barely ruffled the newsrooms’ feathers. To rub it in, PM Scott Morrison renamed Aspen Island, a dot in lake Burley Griffin, ‘Queen Elizabeth II’. Oh well, at least Pat Cummins’ equally commendable bowling partner was Scott Boland, a proud Gulidjan man. His astonishing six wickets for seven runs at the MCG is the other unforgettable image from the series. Were he still with us, Donald Thomson would be amazed, and delighted. robert@robertmacklin.com

Reading—A beer with Baz “Now…… that’s a pretty flash shirt, Mick.” Mick took a sip of the full schooner, grinned and rubbed the fabric of his shirt between his fingers. “It’s a hemp shirt, Bazza. A gift from the brother in law. It’s an alternative to cotton and feels good on the skin. And…… you will be pleased to know, Bazza….. it’s better for the environment.”

“Wonders never cease, Mick. I take it his extended stay has come to an end?”

They both took measured sips of their beers. “Ah not quite, Bazza. It’s all too risky back in Sydney with Omicron so he has set himself up to work from our place. A few compromises here and there, but we seem to be coping.” Bazza raised an eyebrow. “Yeah well, Bazza…… he likes to watch SBS on Demand so I almost need binoculars to follow the subtitles, but…..he has taken over the kitchen duties.”

Bazza leaned back and Mick glanced at his watch. “Last night he offered to cook an Asian meal. Well, here’s me thinking a bit of home made sweet and sour pork, some lemon chicken and combination fried rice would be an alternative to the local Chinese takeaway.” Mick took another sip of his schooner. “Not to be Bazza. It’s a culinary trip to Sri Lanka and I took some notes. He fried off some onion, garlic, chilli, ginger, lemongrass, coriander root and a curry paste he made himself and added the chicken. Mate, it is then a whirlwind of bamboo shoots, curry leaves, cinnamon quills, fennel seeds, cloves and cardamom. He then added coconut cream and let it simmer.”

Bazza licked his lips and his eyes widened. “So Bazza, I’ve got every window in the house open and the neighbours having a good sniff over the side fence. The postie even drops the mailbag and comes in for a taste test.” Mick paused for another sip and again checked his watch. “He then got some fresh sliced beetroot he had pickling in vinegar and sugar and goes to town on that. I’ve lost track of what he added but I tell you, the beetroot tastes nothing like what comes out of a can.” “By gee, Mick, he is giving the local Chinese restaurant a run for its money.” “Bazza….. it doesn’t end there. Now, I’m not a big fan of eggplant…….but, he knocked up an egg plant curry using most of the same ingredients in the chicken dish, added some mustard seeds and lime pickle and left it simmering away in coconut milk.” Mick leaned in.

“I tell you, Bazza. Give the combination fried rice a miss and go for steamed Basmati from the rice cooker. And Bazza, make sure you add Maldive fish to the egg plant curry before serving and top it all off with some pol sambol.” Mick clicked his tongue and winked, looked at his watch, left his schooner unfinished and stood up. “Sorry Bazza…..I have to get home. Tonight we are having a prawn risotto from local produce and watching the final episode of a Scandinavian noir series on SBS.”

Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018

DONNELLY BROTHERS. – are having Phone No. 28 installed at their new butchery. …The shop in Campbell Street has Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 undergone thorough renova on, having been repainted, rene ed etc. A fine dra of Braidwood fa ened bullocks in charge of Mr. Allan Rankin, have arrived for the shambles. STOCK MOVING. – Mr. Harry McIntosh has le Moruya with a dra of 20 fine 4-year-old fleshy bullocks for Mr. Mar n Kea ng’s Braidwood fa ening paddocks. This careful drover will return with 20 fat bullocks, out of 100 already there, which will be put through Mr. Kea ng’s Moruya shambles. AMUSU THEATER. – Anne e Kellerman in ‘What Women Love’ – to-night (Saturday.) SIGNS OF PROGRESS. – There is evident in Moruya at present conspicuous signs of progress. New buildings are being erected, old ones demolished and re-erected on more modern lines, houses renovated and painted, and new businesses opened. The latest is a boot repairing shop, which is conducted by Mr. K. (“Charlie”) Matson in Queen Street. If our Councillor would only curb and gu er the footpaths, and the landowners electrically light the town, we could boost Moruya as the pre est, healthiest, most progressive, and happiest town on the South Coast to live in. WEDDING. – On Thursday, 12th inst., the Methodist Church, Bateman’s Bay, was the scene of a very pre y wedding, when Mr. P. J. (“Jack”) Gale (late A.I.F.) was united to Miss May Roberts, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Roberts, of Bateman’s Bay, the ceremony being performed by Rev. H. N. Whiteman. NERRIGUNDAH. – A novel but deligh ully enjoyable evening was spent in the School of Arts on 13th inst. on the occasion of a Complimentary Ball given expressively by the ladies of the Nerrigundah War Commi ee to the gents in apprecia on of the good work rendered by them during the war and in return to a similar entertainment tendered to the ladies some me ago. … The whole entertainment was conducted by the ladies (even the carrying and chopping of wood.) A programme of deligh ul music was supplied by Messrs. A. A. Byrne, Perry, Jessop and Stormon and during the evening songs were rendered by Mrs. Perry and Mr. Kelly also a jig by li le Miss Byrne. ADVERTISMENT. – MORUYA FREEZING WORKS. Having taken over the Works we beg to announce that we are Cash Buyers of – Fish, Poultry, Eggs, Rabbits, Also Skins. Ice Orders packed and promptly a ended to and despatched. Cold Storage available for perishables. By strict a en on to business we hope to command the respect of the public of the district. SIDDALL & DE MESTRE. Extracted from the Moruya Examiner by the Moruya and District Historical Society Inc. h ps:// www.mdhs.org.au

community Love on the Run" The show must go on, but.....

Unfortunately due to Covid, we have rescheduled our upcoming Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 performance dates. Apols for any inconvenience in these interes ng mes. Performance dates confirmed for the Moruya RSL: 19th March Saturday 7pm 20th March Sunday 2pm ma nee 26th March Saturday 7pm 27th March Sunday 2pm ma nee For current ckets holders we hope you can a end one of these performances. If not, your cket will be refunded at the point of purchase. Thanks for your understanding. Tickets at Moruya Books, SouthCoast Tickets & at the door.

WORDLE: Five le ers, six a empts, and one word per day for everyone The game is web-based, so there’s no official app to download You can play using a mobile or desktop browser; just go to www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/. You have un l midnight, when the word resets and a new word is there for you to guess.